Advancing Two-Generation Approaches

A Shared Strategic Ingredient

All six organizations and partnerships profiled in this report have a sustainable funding source — either private philanthropy or federal programs — that represents 30 to 80% of their two-generation budget.

Check It Out

A companion to this brief offers suggestions on how policymakers and funders can help support organizations in putting two-generation approaches into practice.

A Common Strategy

All six organizations and partnerships profiled in this brief practice braiding, which is an allocation strategy that takes multiple sources of funding for discrete purposes — such as SNAP and TANF — and coordinates them for a greater impact.

Funding in Action: Educational Alliance

Federal funding makes up most — 77% — of the two-generation budget for Educational Alliance, which uses corporate gifts and foundation grants to support staff and services not covered by public funding.

Funding in Action: San Antonio Partnership

The San Antonio Dual-Generation Partnership is a multiagency effort that utilizes both braiding and blending strategies to transform the city’s EastPoint neighborhood.

Funding in Action: Jeremiah Program

Corporate gifts and private philanthropy make up nearly 70% of the two-generation budget for the Jeremiah Program, which employs pooling and braiding strategies to fund its work.

Funding in Action: Garrett County

Federal funds represent 99.3% of Garrett County Community Action Committee’s two-generation budget, with Head Start and Early Head Start funds making up 97%.

Room for Improvement

One item topping the wish list of organizations already engaged in two-generation strategies was a public funding stream that supports coaching and streamlined case management across multiple programs.

Primary Funding Strategies

This brief identifies three funding strategies — braiding, blending and pooling — that organizations and partnerships are using to support their two-generation strategies.